1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to supports for parabolic aerials, and in particular to such a support that permits basic positioning of the parabolic aerial in a simple and fast way, alignment of the parabolic aerial with different transmitters of the same orbit, the alignment being preferably performed by remote control means, as well as secure maintaining of the parabolic aerial in its position even during bad weather conditions.
2. Description of Related Art
Parabolic aerials being in use today for reception of satellite signals, the reception as a rule concerning conventional TV programs, are usually fixed or alignable only with difficulty for reception of signals from alternative satellites. There are however exceptions, but then we are talking about very qualified and expensive parabolic aerial equipments for commercial use. For private households wanting to have the possibility to receive TV broadcast transmissions from different satellites, a simple and inexpensive equipment has not previously been available. For such purposes there have only been fixed parabolic aerial supports, which in addition have been difficult to align with even only one particular satellite.
With the increasing amount of satellites retransmitting different TV programs, a strong demand has occurred for a simple and reliable equipment for the reception of such programs. Part of such an equipment is a simple, inexpensive and steady aerial support, which permits not only an easy and fast basic positioning of the parabolic aerial, relative to a satellite orbit, but which also permits adjustment of the parabolic aerial for reception of signals from different satellites of this orbit. Such an alignment should therefore be feasible from the place where the TV-watching takes place.
Supports of a previous and corresponding type needed to be provided with a big base. Support rods would be attached in different places, and then attached to the parabolic aerial, in different places directly or to some holder thereof. For positioning, the adjustment of many support rods has therefore been necessary. The support rods had to be shortened or extended, or given varied recesses For natural reasons such an attachment will be steady, but could also be hard to handle and it may be difficult to find a suitable place for the mounting thereof. It is therefore desirable to be able to mount the parabolic aerial on a rod, which is a conventional aerial mounting technique and permits a raised position of the actual aerial.
Most satellites, which broadcast TV programs of common interest, are in one and the same orbit around the equator. From a place, e.g. in Sweden, this orbit is perceived as elliptical. A parabolic aerial, which should be able to follow this orbit, therefore has to be provided with such a support that enables the parabolic aerial to carry out a movement corresponding thereto.